Staff report

Investigators say a Shannon man who was killed early this month was not involved in the murder of Charlene Locklear, the mother of one man accused in his shooting death.

Cheyenne Woods, 20, of 980 Dixie Drive, Red Springs, and Justin Pevia, 19, of 587 Wicker Road, Red Springs, are each charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of 26-year-old Roger Dale Chavis on April 3, a Friday night. On the Sunday before Chavis was killed, Woods’ mother, Locklear, 39, and her friend James Hammonds, 28, were shot to death at about 1 a.m. in Locklear’s home, which Woods lists as his residence.

No one has been charged in their murders, but sheriff’s Lt. Reggle Strickland said the investigation is trying to determine if Woods killed to avenge his mother’s murder. If so, Strickland said, Woods and Pevia killed the wrong person: Chavis was not involved in the March 28 murders of Woods and Hammonds, Strickland said.

Chavis was killed shortly after 7 p.m. on April 3 when two men in a Chrysler 300 began shooting at a Mitsubishi Galant in which he was a passenger; the car was traveling on N.C. 71 North in Lumber Bridge. Also in the Galant were Ronald Burns, 20, of Shannon, and Joshua Locklear, 20, of Red Springs, who were not injured.

Investigators say one of the shooters stood up in the Chrysler, his upper body protruding from the sunroof. They say shots were fire over a stretch of about four miles.

Chavis, who was in the back seat, was struck by gunfire and died soon afterward.

“He was just at the wrong place at the wrong time,” said Natasha Pevia, Chavis’ cousin. She is not related to Justin Pevia.

Chavis’ aunt, Cora Locklear, said her nephew, “Bubba,’’ was getting a ride from Burns and Joshua Locklear after his car broke down in Pembroke and was an “innocent bystander.”

According to his sister, Kay Dorsey, Chavis was injured in a car accident several years ago and was disabled, with little ability to use his left arm.

Chavis’ mother, Moneas Locklear, lived with her son.

“He was a good boy,” she said. “He was my heart.”

At the time of Chavis’ murder, Woods was out on a $61,500 bail after being charged with first-degree murder in the 2008 shooting death of Jessica Cahoon of Fayetteville. He was also charged with armed robbery and discharging a weapon into occupied property in that case.

He and Pevia are now being held without bond.